Mexico City, Part 1

This is our last night in Mexico City. I’ve spent the last handful of days here with my family on a combined work (for my husband) and vacation (for my son and me) situation. Five nights here with a day trip to the pyramids in Teotihuacan is a cheap and stunning vacation – and a terrific bargain compared to vakays in other world class cities.

Blogging quickly by iPhone, here are a few photos of this unforgettable place…in the order that I took them:

Chilangos as native Mexico City-ites are called, are nuts about their dogs. Here’s a doggie day care in Parque México that my son and I passed on our way to the National Archeological Museum.

The museum is a must-see and a good first stop…

The guys below perform all day outside the museum and have my idea of a totally hellish day job…

Pre-Hispanic power couple, Archeological Museum:

The city is filled with great street art:

Here we are resting in the museum courtyard, which has a huge upside down fountain and a papyrus pond in its courtyard. The architect channeled 1960s spaceship – in a good way.

Traveling with kids? Take them to Arena Mexico for the luche libre wrestling experience. Here’s part of the mural in the Arena lobby:

This super fan was in line with us – here he is buying tickets:

Tickets for top seats are just $10 USD! Here’s a scene from the match:

Street food is an integral part of life here. We heard a whistle blow outside and the guys bolted down from our apartment for some charcoal oven-fired sweet plantains:

His cart is an oven with a built-in steam whistle.

Below from left, eating esquites and elote aka yummy toasted corn snacks with chili, salt and lime or slathered in mayo, chili and salt – these are pre-Hispanic Nahua Mexican snacks…40 pesos for both or a bit over 2 bucks – overpriced by local standards, but we don’t mind overpaying!

Sandro’s looking a bit bummed he didn’t get the mayo. His was as spicy as it looks. He’ll have to come back!

Yesterday, we went to see the pyramids and ruins in Teotihuacan – also the site of another great roadside food experience.

Outside exit 3 was an outdoor eating spot that was on one side of a long chain link fence. You could walk around the fence in about 5 minutes – too long a trek when the bus was due soon – so instead, we stood on our tiptoes and passed plates of tacos and drinks, including this cup of pulque, over the top:

There were 3 folding chairs on our side of the fence – perfect!

The thought occurred to us that the meal was a bit like Trump’s stupid wall and barriers in general – artificial and real / natural. And what lengths we’ll go through for a meal…

Steps to Temple of the Moon, Teotihuacan.

I’d like to write a bit more, but my husband just said, “Should we get something to eat?”